Bonny & Read by Julie Walker

Rebels. Pirates. Women.

Caribbean, 1720. Two extraordinary women are on the run – from their pasts, from the British Navy and the threat of execution, and from the destiny that fate has written for them.

Plantation owner’s daughter, runaway wife, pirate – Anne Bonny has forged her own story in a man’s world. But when she is involved in the capture of a British merchant ship, she is amazed to find another woman amongst the crew, with a history as unconventional as her own. Dressed as a boy from childhood, Mary Read has been a soldier, a sailor, a widow – but never a woman in charge of her own destiny.

As their exhilarating, tumultuous exploits find fame, the ballad of Bonny and Read is sung from shore to shore – but when you swim against the tide of history, freedom is a dangerous thing…

An exuberant reimagining of the extraordinary story of Bonny and Read – trailblazing, boundary-defying, swashbuckling heroines whose story deserves to be known. Perfect for fans of Ariadne, The Mercies and The Familiars.

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Bonny & Read is a novel that I wanted to read as soon as I heard about it.  I was drawn in by the tagline of “Rebels. Pirates. Women.” because honestly, what’s not to love?!

The novel starts by introducing us to Anne Bonny, just married to one of the servants at her father’s plantation, much to her father’s chagrin.  She’s a fantastic character who has been brought to life brilliantly by Walker, and I love the portrayal of this feisty, mercurial young woman.  Anne isn’t concerned about wealth and creature comforts – although she develops more of an appreciation for them when she no longer has them – and seeks adventure and excitement.  She’s not one for planning ahead and has no real end goal in mind.  There’s a certain naivety about her and the way in which she lives in the moment, but I couldn’t help but admire her spirit and was happy to join her adventures. 

To me, Anne is a character who is expected to conform to the expectations of the men around her and so represents many women in that regard.  Her father wishes her to dress appropriately and to marry well, no doubt forming a favourable alliance for himself in the process.  Her husband, James, seems to be only interested in her wealth and is dismayed as he comes to realise that Anne’s father will never welcome him as a son-in-law, cutting off Anne upon their nuptials, leaving them penniless and with no access to lifestyle that he sought.  Unsurprisingly, their relationship soon sours as both come to realise that neither is quite what the other expected.  Even “Calico” Jack Rackham whose crew she joins expects her to be sweet and pliable, no doubt warming his bed while he gets on with the manly business of piracy.  All are disappointed as Anne remains true to herself throughout, finding the men around her boring, predictable, and tiresome. 

We’re then introduced to Mary Read who I hadn’t heard of prior to reading this novel, although I do love the fact that there were (at least!) two pirate women and that they crossed paths – however fictionalised this account is, this element of the narrative is based upon fact.  Mary is raised from a young age as a boy, replacing her brother after his death so that her mother can take advantage of her mother-in-law’s devotion to her son and the income that brings her.  Upon achieving adulthood – still playing the role of Mark Read which brings her infinitely more freedom than if she’d reverted back to Mary – she joins the army, successfully managing to disguise herself, and later the Navy after a brief marriage that leaves her widowed at a young age.  It’s on the naval ship that she and Anne cross paths as she decides to join the pirate crew.

Mary Read is such a different character to Anne.  She’s thoughtful where Anne is impulsive and calm where the other’s temper is quick to flare.  The two nevertheless become firm friends – partly through circumstance, and yet also finding common ground in their mutual rejection of society’s limitations when it comes to women and the roles they’re expected to play, both being capable of so much more.  They become a formidable duo and I like the way that the two balance each other out, Anne helping to sooth the depression in which Mary finds herself after the death of her husband while Anne has the opportunity to learn from Mary. 

Bonny & Read is by necessity a fictionalised account of the lives of these two women as very little is known about them in truth.  It makes for a fantastic read, full of adventure on the high seas from two unusual perspectives as well as giving an insight into piracy and why some pursued that lifestyle given the risks involved.  Highly recommended for those wanting adventure as well as a feminist tale of women escaping the restraints that society places on them.  It’s a whole lot of fun.

Bonny & Read is published by Hodder & Stoughton and is available now in hardback, digital, and audio formats.